Gathakunathi (Gah-thah-koo-nah-thee)

Goliaths of strong wills and even stronger bodies, the Gathakunathi, or Those Who Stay the Path, have claimed the rocky cliffs of the Cyrios Mountains for generations. High above the tropics of the Menagerie Coast, the Gathakunathi gleefully hunt the monsters that stalk the peaks, creatures even the most daring lowlanders would not dare approach. For this is more than a clan of warriors: they are the people of an-Melzidanye, Lifebringer and Spiritmaker of the wilds.
Governed by their Spiritwalker, the just and fair Zauvia Legendspeaker, the Gathakunathi prove their prowess to an-Melzidanye’s spirits of nature by slaying monstrosities that threaten the land. In return, the Lifebringer gifts each of them an unparalleled connection with a totem spirit, which grants them attributes of that animal. Zauvia, whose totem spirit is an eagle and who has bonded a living eagle through her role as Spiritwalker, is responsible for guiding young Gathakunathi to find their totem spirit when they come of age at fifteen. As part of this journey, they craft a physical totem to channel the energy of their chosen animal spirit and strengthen their connection to it. Once they have bonded a spirit, they grow in that power over the rest of their lives.
However, the abilities of modern Gathakunathi and those of the heroes in Legendspeaker’s tales are vastly different. As Legendspeaker, Zauvia’s responsibilities also include safeguarding the clan’s history through an oral tradition shared between four other Truthspeakers. In these stories, Gathakunathi overflowed with strength, spoke directly with nature, and could even fly. Most clansmen these days only obtain one attribute from their totem spirits; the heroes of old obtained as many as three. Is it possible that their power is stagnating, or has something damaged their connection to an-Melzidanye’s spirits?

Figures of Interest

As relatively small tribe, every member of the Gathakunathi knows everyone else. Over the years, this has resulted in a tight-knit community of hunters and craftsmen who depend on each other to survive.

Zauvia Legendspeaker

Lawful good, female goliath
As Spiritwalker, Zauvia is the spiritual, cultural, and practical leader of the Gathakunathi. As Legendspeaker, which is both nickname and title, she is the primary keeper of the clan’s history, which has been passed down for generations through oral tradition. Zauvia is just and fair in her leadership, but she is also pragmatic. When the time comes, she is always ready to make the hard decisions. She is deeply devoted to an-Melzidanye and the spirits an-Melzidanye cultivates in nature. When they come of age at the age of fifteen, Gathakunathi children embark on the Spirit Search to find and bond with their totem animal. Zauvia guides this journey, teaching them to first seek a spirit, then wait for it to choose them. Her totem spirit is an eagle.

Vaurad Bearstalker

Neutral good, male goliath
Vaurad is a hunter with the totem of the wolf. Ironically, he’s too hotheaded and competitive to take on leadership in the village at present, although his keen senses make him an excellent hunting party captain. He is competitive to a fault; as one of the few wolf-bound warriors in the clan, he thinks he is destined for great things and gets jealous when someone does better than him.

Elgath Stoneskin

Lawful neutral, male goliath
Eglath withdrew from his family after the death of his parents, and Zauvia encouraged the others to give him space to grieve. However, as time went on he only retreated further from the bonds of clan and spirit. A great distance has developed between him and his son, Vaurad, which has in turn had a negative effect on the entire community. Zauvia blames herself for this wound and feels powerless to heal it.

Type

Geopolitical, Tribe

Location

Cyrios End Forest